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Winter Chill
The moment Marian Larsen sees the patrol car stop outside her house, she feels a shiver of foreboding. The news is even worse than she feared. Marian's husband and young daughter have been in a snowmobile crash. Dan is paralysed and Laura is dead, her body broken on the icy ground.
. . .With A Chilling Secret
Friends and colleagues in Marian's Minnesota home town rally around to try and ease her grief. But soon there are more horrible accidents. Then the rumours start--that these are not coincidences at all, that someone is picking off victims one by one. And as winter deepens, the search for answers will reveal a killer whose blood runs colder than the blinding snow. . .
. . .With A Chilling Secret
Friends and colleagues in Marian's Minnesota home town rally around to try and ease her grief. But soon there are more horrible accidents. Then the rumours start--that these are not coincidences at all, that someone is picking off victims one by one. And as winter deepens, the search for answers will reveal a killer whose blood runs colder than the blinding snow. . .
345 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1984
322 people are currently reading
2075 people want to read
About the author
Joanne Fluke
134 books8,552 followersLike Hannah Swensen, Joanne Fluke grew up in a small town in rural Minnesota where her neighbors were friendly, the winters were fierce, and the biggest scandal was the spotting of unidentified male undergarments on a young widow's clothesline. She insists that there really are 10,000 lakes and the mosquito is NOT the state bird.
While pursuing her writing career, Joanne has worked as: a public school teacher, a psychologist, a musician, a private detective's assistant, a corporate, legal, and pharmaceutical secretary, a short order cook, a florist's assistant, a caterer and party planner, a computer consultant on a now-defunct operating system, a production assistant on a TV quiz show, half of a screenwriting team with her husband, and a mother, wife, and homemaker.
She now lives in Southern California with her husband, her kids, his kids, their three dogs, one elderly tabby, and several noisy rats in the attic.
Series:
* Hannah Swensen
While pursuing her writing career, Joanne has worked as: a public school teacher, a psychologist, a musician, a private detective's assistant, a corporate, legal, and pharmaceutical secretary, a short order cook, a florist's assistant, a caterer and party planner, a computer consultant on a now-defunct operating system, a production assistant on a TV quiz show, half of a screenwriting team with her husband, and a mother, wife, and homemaker.
She now lives in Southern California with her husband, her kids, his kids, their three dogs, one elderly tabby, and several noisy rats in the attic.
Series:
* Hannah Swensen
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 182 reviews
November 12, 2017
I’m trying to figure out why I read this book. It started out ok and then went way downhill and the ending was horrible! Do yourself a favor and don’t read this.
August 12, 2013
I really wanted to give Winter Chill by Joanne Fluke 2/5 stars because of the flaws I saw in it... but later on that. Marian and her husband Dan and their daughter live a quiet, peaceful existance in Minnesota until a tragic accident leaves Dan paralyzed and Laura dead. A snowmobile accident leaves the family in disarray and a mother who's left to pick up the pieces of what was once a normal life. In an attempt at normalcy, happenings in this small town suggest that things will never be normal again. It appears that a series of either freak accidents, or murders, are plaguing the town. Who or what's going on is something no one is sure of.
The reason for my 3/5 star rating of Winter Chill is because this plot was excellent. It's the quinessential page-turner that someone who's interested in a quick read would pick up. There's nothing complicated about this plot but I still found it intriguing. The ending is to die for and it's obvious why this author Joanne Fluke is so popular. And I don't think any review I could write would change any of her fans minds about her awesomeness.
My gripes with Winter Chill are how hokey the language is, paper-thin characters, and it's dated. I know this is up for re-release and I don't think that's a bad idea but did everyone seriously own a van in the 80s? Have these people never heard of any car other than a van? That's me going off on a tangent... but seriously. The conversations between the characters in this novel did not draw me in at all. This is definitely an action-driven novel as opposed to character-driven. I felt terrible for Marion and Dan initially, but then they slowly start to chip away at my giving a care about either of them.
Overall, great plot. Joanne Fluke is a rookie no more and I assume her writing has gotten 100x's better since Winter Chill. Once more, I loved the ending. It was great! I recommend this novel to her fans as well as readers of light mysteries. I am excited to have finally read something by Fluke since I always see her books around the bookstore. FYI never fall asleep in a running van in your garage. NOT SMART!!
The reason for my 3/5 star rating of Winter Chill is because this plot was excellent. It's the quinessential page-turner that someone who's interested in a quick read would pick up. There's nothing complicated about this plot but I still found it intriguing. The ending is to die for and it's obvious why this author Joanne Fluke is so popular. And I don't think any review I could write would change any of her fans minds about her awesomeness.
My gripes with Winter Chill are how hokey the language is, paper-thin characters, and it's dated. I know this is up for re-release and I don't think that's a bad idea but did everyone seriously own a van in the 80s? Have these people never heard of any car other than a van? That's me going off on a tangent... but seriously. The conversations between the characters in this novel did not draw me in at all. This is definitely an action-driven novel as opposed to character-driven. I felt terrible for Marion and Dan initially, but then they slowly start to chip away at my giving a care about either of them.
Overall, great plot. Joanne Fluke is a rookie no more and I assume her writing has gotten 100x's better since Winter Chill. Once more, I loved the ending. It was great! I recommend this novel to her fans as well as readers of light mysteries. I am excited to have finally read something by Fluke since I always see her books around the bookstore. FYI never fall asleep in a running van in your garage. NOT SMART!!
August 1, 2013
Didn't really care for this book which was really disappointing, considering I loved her other books.
I felt this book was really hard to "get into" and the ending was terrible. Even after reading the book I still have no idea "who dunnit".
I felt this book was really hard to "get into" and the ending was terrible. Even after reading the book I still have no idea "who dunnit".
October 15, 2013
Quite bad writing. It should be a psychological thriller/ghost story, but the characters are not even slightly believable. It almost reads like someone who grew up on another planet wrote it. It is not normal to expect a person to be cheerful two weeks after their child dies, it's just not.
A good writer would have written a father desperately second-guessing the foolish decision that led to his daughter's death, a mother who can never look at her daughter's killer the same way again, both questioning whether life is still worth living and how to get free of this marriage that has no more hope of surviving. Instead we get a woman who throws card parties a couple weeks after her child dies and a man who is more concerned that his rival might score with his wife than that he'll never see his daughter again.
Unless there really are people who are this shallow, which is an interesting prospect. "You say I should look cheerful, even though you are aware that my little girl died two weeks ago? Oh, then you must be right. Here's me being cheerful." Bizarre.
A good writer would have written a father desperately second-guessing the foolish decision that led to his daughter's death, a mother who can never look at her daughter's killer the same way again, both questioning whether life is still worth living and how to get free of this marriage that has no more hope of surviving. Instead we get a woman who throws card parties a couple weeks after her child dies and a man who is more concerned that his rival might score with his wife than that he'll never see his daughter again.
Unless there really are people who are this shallow, which is an interesting prospect. "You say I should look cheerful, even though you are aware that my little girl died two weeks ago? Oh, then you must be right. Here's me being cheerful." Bizarre.
October 14, 2016
Winter Chill by Joanne Fluke
3 ★'s
From the Book
The moment Marian Larsen sees the patrol car stop outside her house; she feels a shiver of foreboding. The news is even worse than she feared. Marian's husband and young daughter have been in a snowmobile crash. Dan is paralyzed and Laura is dead, her body broken on the icy ground. .
Friends and colleagues in Marian's Minnesota hometown rally around to try and ease her grief. But soon there are more horrible accidents. Then the rumors start--that these are not coincidences at all, that someone is picking off victims one by one. And as winter deepens, the search for answers will reveal a killer whose blood runs colder than the blinding snow.
My Thoughts:
The story started out tragically and progressed to a haunting tale of two people’s unresolved grief. A mother that couldn’t come to grips with her young daughter’s accidental death and a father that is suffering from what his doctor calls hysterical paralyze.
We follow these two people…both teachers…as they are caught in the crosshairs of a situation that is having deadly results for everyone in their small town. The book had its good points but they were mixed with far more unexplained, dangling suppositions. To begin with there was no investigation what so ever by the local lawman into what turned out to be the deaths of six people in the course of a month. When someone told the sheriff who they thought the killer might be… instead of opening an investigation he runs off and tells the doctor and between them they set up a competency hearing in secret no less to have the man committed.
All through the book the reader will switch back and forth between the most likely killers. However contrary to what the description says…the ending was disappointing because there simply wasn’t an ending and we are still not sure exactly what happened or who the real killer was. That seems to me to be unacceptable when a reader spends the time to read the book you wrote and sold.
3 stars for a book there carried a great deal of promise but never really delivered.
3 ★'s
From the Book
The moment Marian Larsen sees the patrol car stop outside her house; she feels a shiver of foreboding. The news is even worse than she feared. Marian's husband and young daughter have been in a snowmobile crash. Dan is paralyzed and Laura is dead, her body broken on the icy ground. .
Friends and colleagues in Marian's Minnesota hometown rally around to try and ease her grief. But soon there are more horrible accidents. Then the rumors start--that these are not coincidences at all, that someone is picking off victims one by one. And as winter deepens, the search for answers will reveal a killer whose blood runs colder than the blinding snow.
My Thoughts:
The story started out tragically and progressed to a haunting tale of two people’s unresolved grief. A mother that couldn’t come to grips with her young daughter’s accidental death and a father that is suffering from what his doctor calls hysterical paralyze.
We follow these two people…both teachers…as they are caught in the crosshairs of a situation that is having deadly results for everyone in their small town. The book had its good points but they were mixed with far more unexplained, dangling suppositions. To begin with there was no investigation what so ever by the local lawman into what turned out to be the deaths of six people in the course of a month. When someone told the sheriff who they thought the killer might be… instead of opening an investigation he runs off and tells the doctor and between them they set up a competency hearing in secret no less to have the man committed.
All through the book the reader will switch back and forth between the most likely killers. However contrary to what the description says…the ending was disappointing because there simply wasn’t an ending and we are still not sure exactly what happened or who the real killer was. That seems to me to be unacceptable when a reader spends the time to read the book you wrote and sold.
3 stars for a book there carried a great deal of promise but never really delivered.
June 26, 2014
I am a big fan of the Hannah Swensen's mysteries and was excited to read a stand alone suspense book by the same author. Like "Video Kill", this was written early in her career and re-released in 2013. "Video Kill" was okay but this totally missed the mark. The first 170+ pages dealt with Marian & Dan's reaction to the accidental death of their seven year-old daughter. When the suspense did appear it kept building and at times felt like a 1980's slasher movie. The ending was vague and I had to draw my own conclusion. This is definitely the last suspense book of hers that I will read. On a positive note, Fluke does an excellent job at describing the bitter Minnesota winter cold.
October 11, 2019
I almost gave up on this, but eventually I just wanted to see how the author wrapped it up. I'd never read a book by this author before. (Although, I do love the series of Hallmark Mystery Movies based on her Hannah Swensen character.)
This book had potential, and in another author's hands... it "could'a been a contender"! It could've been more tragic, more heartwarming, or even more suspenseful. But in the end just a big disappointment. At the end, I just said to myself "What? That's it? Really?" If it hadn't been on my Kindle, I may have thrown it across the room.
This book had potential, and in another author's hands... it "could'a been a contender"! It could've been more tragic, more heartwarming, or even more suspenseful. But in the end just a big disappointment. At the end, I just said to myself "What? That's it? Really?" If it hadn't been on my Kindle, I may have thrown it across the room.
July 19, 2019
This was an interesting thriller...the first half I wasn't sure what was the point of the story, then it started picking up steam and while I sorta guessed the villain, I wasn't wild about the ending. I am still not sure if who I thought was involved was the perpetrator or if it was more than one person.
I realize this was a re-release and I wonder if the author cleaned anything up. I enjoy her cozy series and this was a switch.
I realize this was a re-release and I wonder if the author cleaned anything up. I enjoy her cozy series and this was a switch.
November 27, 2017
Definitely not as exciting as I had hoped.
From the book - The moment Marian Larsen sees the patrol car stopped outside her house she feels a shiver of foreboding. the news is even worse than she feared. Marian’s husband and daughter has been in the snowmobile crash. Dan is paralyzed and Laura is dead...her body broken on the icy ground. Friends and colleagues in Marian’s Minnesota home town rally around to try and ease for grief. But soon there are more horrible accidents...
This book had an interesting premise, but there were several issues with it. The dialogue was simple and cheesy...the sheriff was generally unlikeable- always trying to grab the waitress’ butt...Laura’s parents spent most of the book feeling sorry for themselves...
Though the author tried to provide a couple of suspects, it was pretty apparent who it was. That was okay as the reader got to see the motivation of the killer. It was because of this, and despite the issues, that I gave this book the rating that I did.
Rating: 3 Stars
From the book - The moment Marian Larsen sees the patrol car stopped outside her house she feels a shiver of foreboding. the news is even worse than she feared. Marian’s husband and daughter has been in the snowmobile crash. Dan is paralyzed and Laura is dead...her body broken on the icy ground. Friends and colleagues in Marian’s Minnesota home town rally around to try and ease for grief. But soon there are more horrible accidents...
This book had an interesting premise, but there were several issues with it. The dialogue was simple and cheesy...the sheriff was generally unlikeable- always trying to grab the waitress’ butt...Laura’s parents spent most of the book feeling sorry for themselves...
Though the author tried to provide a couple of suspects, it was pretty apparent who it was. That was okay as the reader got to see the motivation of the killer. It was because of this, and despite the issues, that I gave this book the rating that I did.
Rating: 3 Stars
July 23, 2015
If you fancy the pathological overuse of exclamation points, you're in for a real treat!!! This book had the potential for a great, insightful ending but, no. It's like watching a friend buy an antique armoire that could be restored with sanding and staining, only to find later that she has spray painted it fire engine red. Sadly, this was an unsatisfying read.
July 17, 2016
I finished this book only to see what really was going on. Very sad throughout with all the tragedies but a satisfying ending like Alfred Hitchcock would have written. The ending is the only reason I gave it three stars.
August 1, 2017
This one was certainly chilling ... the winter setting adds to the chill.
Marian is waiting for her husband and daughter to return from a snowmobile ride. When she sees the police car pull into her house, her life is about to fall apart. Her daughter has been killed and her husband is injured.
Marian and Dan are grieving. Their little town rallies around to support them. But then the unthinkable happens ... more little girls are dying.
I must admit, I couldn't decide "who dunnit" ... I swapped between the two main suspects ...
I loved that there was a twist at the end, I was expecting one and I wasn't disappointed.
Marian is waiting for her husband and daughter to return from a snowmobile ride. When she sees the police car pull into her house, her life is about to fall apart. Her daughter has been killed and her husband is injured.
Marian and Dan are grieving. Their little town rallies around to support them. But then the unthinkable happens ... more little girls are dying.
I must admit, I couldn't decide "who dunnit" ... I swapped between the two main suspects ...
I loved that there was a twist at the end, I was expecting one and I wasn't disappointed.
Read
August 7, 2020Loved the book. I am not sure who the murderer is :)
November 13, 2013
Winter Chill by Joanne Fluke is a Kensington publication released in August 2013.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
When a tragic accident leaves Marian's daughter Laura dead and her husband Dan in a wheelchair, Marian can no longer function normally. The only times she feels happy is when she senses her daughter is near by. When she begins finding notes from her daughter, she is convinced her daughter is still with her. Initially, Dan is so relieved to see Marian happy that he actually encourages Marian's feelings. But, Dan could never imagine the events that would unfold as time goes on and their small town begins to have a rash of "accidents" mostly involving children.
Are these really accidents or is someone is this small community killing children?
For those that know Joanne Fluke as the author of culinary cozy mysteries, this one may be a really big shock. This is a very dark psychological thriller. I do not ever begrudge an author that tries to write something different from what they normally do. However, you should know that this is NOT like the light cozy mysteries you are more familiar with. This is really a good book for a cold winter night. The author puts you in the middle of the harsh Minnesota winter which gave the book an atmospheric tone.
I didn't really know what to rate this one. Again, I was stuck in that frustrating limbo between the 3 and the 4 star rating. So, I will compromise with a 3.5 and give this one C+.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
When a tragic accident leaves Marian's daughter Laura dead and her husband Dan in a wheelchair, Marian can no longer function normally. The only times she feels happy is when she senses her daughter is near by. When she begins finding notes from her daughter, she is convinced her daughter is still with her. Initially, Dan is so relieved to see Marian happy that he actually encourages Marian's feelings. But, Dan could never imagine the events that would unfold as time goes on and their small town begins to have a rash of "accidents" mostly involving children.
Are these really accidents or is someone is this small community killing children?
For those that know Joanne Fluke as the author of culinary cozy mysteries, this one may be a really big shock. This is a very dark psychological thriller. I do not ever begrudge an author that tries to write something different from what they normally do. However, you should know that this is NOT like the light cozy mysteries you are more familiar with. This is really a good book for a cold winter night. The author puts you in the middle of the harsh Minnesota winter which gave the book an atmospheric tone.
I didn't really know what to rate this one. Again, I was stuck in that frustrating limbo between the 3 and the 4 star rating. So, I will compromise with a 3.5 and give this one C+.
August 3, 2016
Wow!
For the first half of the book, I actually wondered if they got it wrong calling it a thriller. They didn't. It just took some build up, and after reading it you know it was much needed build up, to get to the thriller part of the tale. And oh what a tale it is!
I thought I knew who was the killer from the start of the thrilling parts. I prayed to God that I would be wrong though, I mean, no one would ever want to think it would be that person, but it was. It's still shocking to think I was right.
But what a story! You felt part of this web, you get weaved into it as a person watching on the outside, but BAM! It's with you.
I may be haunted by parts of it for a while. That's good writing for ya!
Joanne Fluke, I loved this intro, for me, into your writing, and you best bet it won't be the last.
For the first half of the book, I actually wondered if they got it wrong calling it a thriller. They didn't. It just took some build up, and after reading it you know it was much needed build up, to get to the thriller part of the tale. And oh what a tale it is!
I thought I knew who was the killer from the start of the thrilling parts. I prayed to God that I would be wrong though, I mean, no one would ever want to think it would be that person, but it was. It's still shocking to think I was right.
But what a story! You felt part of this web, you get weaved into it as a person watching on the outside, but BAM! It's with you.
I may be haunted by parts of it for a while. That's good writing for ya!
Joanne Fluke, I loved this intro, for me, into your writing, and you best bet it won't be the last.
November 16, 2013
Read my full review:http://bit.ly/1dDVg8O
My opinion: I have enjoyed Joanne Fluke's Hannah Swensen mysteries even though they are considered to be cozy mysteries and have to admit that I have grabbed a couple of cookie recipes out of those book that have thrilled my recipients. When I saw this non-cozy mystery by her, I jumped at the opportunity to review it. It was thoroughly disappointing. Because her other series is fun, it was more engaging than this book.
The writing in this book feel incredibly flat and was WAY too light. It almost had the feeling that the writing simply went through the motions. With characters that didn't rise to the same level of fun as in the Hannah Swensen books, this had the feeling of being a dime a dozen book.
My opinion: I have enjoyed Joanne Fluke's Hannah Swensen mysteries even though they are considered to be cozy mysteries and have to admit that I have grabbed a couple of cookie recipes out of those book that have thrilled my recipients. When I saw this non-cozy mystery by her, I jumped at the opportunity to review it. It was thoroughly disappointing. Because her other series is fun, it was more engaging than this book.
The writing in this book feel incredibly flat and was WAY too light. It almost had the feeling that the writing simply went through the motions. With characters that didn't rise to the same level of fun as in the Hannah Swensen books, this had the feeling of being a dime a dozen book.
March 1, 2021
The ending of this book made no sense, and left many questions unanswered. Was the main character actually doing the act? Or, did this author not know how to finish this book, which is why the ending seems choppy. I continued to read this book in hopes to find out who was the murderer, and sadly this was not the case. It would've been easier to cut out halfway through, and make up my own ending. Don't waste your time with this book, it will leave you confused and wanting answers this author choose not to provide for the reader.
March 10, 2025
3.5 stars What does a parent go through when their only child is accidentally killed? For Marian and Dan it is a nightmare they cannot escape. Grief and coping mechanisms are different for everyone. The added stress that Dan was paralyzed in the same accident that took his daughters life only adds to the pain, and BTW, Marian was her daughter's teacher at the local school.
How far will a parent go to find peace after their child dies? Maybe too far!
A decent read, but it seemed to bog down occasionally.
How far will a parent go to find peace after their child dies? Maybe too far!
A decent read, but it seemed to bog down occasionally.
August 16, 2016
Very depressing book. Did not have any characters of interest and certainly did not have any of the tone or style of the Hannah Swensen novels. Ending was pathetic and gave really no resolution to the plot. Did not have any "fear factor" as touted on the cover. Glad to see her writing has improved since this was written in the 80s
September 4, 2013
If you like sad, scary, insane, you will like this book. I was surpised since this author does not usually write this kind of story. I read it quickly thinking It would get better, but for me I was very dissappointed in this read.
February 20, 2017
The reader can tell that this book is showing its age. The plot line kept me wanting to know what will happen next. Unlike the eyemart comercial, I don't think the weather and seasons tell the feelings of the story.
March 9, 2014
This was the first book I have ever read by this author and I was impressed. It was a suspense, creepy and mildy unsettling, psychological thriller.
July 30, 2014
Would have been a better short story - too much time is spent setting up a twisted ending. Death and grief are glossed over too easily.
May 22, 2018
Awful, awful. Full of "woe is me"and weak, manipulative, self-centered main characters with a absolutely cringe-worthy ending. My new "worst book I have ever read."
July 5, 2020
I know this a re-release of earlier writing, but I could not keep reading after 10% due to the use of outdated and frankly, offense use of terminology surrounding disability. The term "invalid" is used repeatedly, which is an offense term to describe anyone with a disability. Not only that, the man was paralyzed from the waist down, a disability already proven to be capable of producing extremely self-sufficient people. To add to the gross feeling I got from this, the husband's paralysis was determined to be a "hysterical paralysis" which is a real thing, but a basic search of the literature shows people can regain function quickly or within 6 months. Yet the doctor warns this could "be permanent." And the husband does not fit the typical demographic for this very rare disorder, so it just seemed even more far fetched. Maybe it plays in later in the story. I will never know. However, it just seemed to put a weird tone onto the paralysis diagnosis. Why not just make it an actual medical event?
Additionally, even if he were paralyzed in any form, no way would he be released from the hospital within days. He would have been sent to a rehab facility and would be treated psychologically for the hysterical paralysis. Also, no way would they magically have an accessible van. Lifts cannot just be installed into regular vans like they do in this story, and conversions to make a van accessible cost tens of thousands of dollars.
All that aside, they get some of Dan's initial thoughts correct ("I'd rather be dead than paralyzed") from what goes through a lot of patients early thoughts, but it still felt wrong and perpetuating the stereotype that disabled lives aren't worth living. The scene with their friends was where I finally had enough. The wife of the friend's family was thinking how horrible her life would be if their stories were swapped and her husband was paralyzed and an "invalid." She basically compared losing a child and having a disabled husband as equal tragedies. By this point, I couldn't keep going if these were the thoughts and terms to be used throughout the story.
Again, I'm sure these terms were commonplace when the book was written, but they do not stand the test of time. As a person with a disability, hearing these terms and thoughts on disability repeated in the first 10% of the book just left a bad taste in my mouth that wasn't worth continuing with the book. I still enjoy Fluke's Hannah Swenson cozy mystery series and will stick to those from now on.
Additionally, even if he were paralyzed in any form, no way would he be released from the hospital within days. He would have been sent to a rehab facility and would be treated psychologically for the hysterical paralysis. Also, no way would they magically have an accessible van. Lifts cannot just be installed into regular vans like they do in this story, and conversions to make a van accessible cost tens of thousands of dollars.
All that aside, they get some of Dan's initial thoughts correct ("I'd rather be dead than paralyzed") from what goes through a lot of patients early thoughts, but it still felt wrong and perpetuating the stereotype that disabled lives aren't worth living. The scene with their friends was where I finally had enough. The wife of the friend's family was thinking how horrible her life would be if their stories were swapped and her husband was paralyzed and an "invalid." She basically compared losing a child and having a disabled husband as equal tragedies. By this point, I couldn't keep going if these were the thoughts and terms to be used throughout the story.
Again, I'm sure these terms were commonplace when the book was written, but they do not stand the test of time. As a person with a disability, hearing these terms and thoughts on disability repeated in the first 10% of the book just left a bad taste in my mouth that wasn't worth continuing with the book. I still enjoy Fluke's Hannah Swenson cozy mystery series and will stick to those from now on.
August 19, 2017
I am a frequent visitor to my public library and have read all of Joanne Fluke's Hannah Swensen mysteries and loved them. When I was browsing through Joanne Fluke's list of books online via my library's website I stumbled upon other books written by Joanne. She wrote these psychological suspense thrillers long before the Hannah books and since I enjoy Joanne Fluke's writing I decided to give this one a shot.
Unlike many of the reviews, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. For me it was a page turner and I didn't want to put it down. The book starts out with a snowmobile accident where Laura, the 9 year old daughter of Dan and Marian Larsen is killed and Dan is left paralyzed. When the "accidents"/murders began happening I was glad I was reading a book and not watching it as a movie; I don't like blood and gore. My reaction to the "scenes" leading up to the "accidents" was much like my reaction to horror flicks taking place on a stormy night, when the lights go out and all the phones go dead and there is no cell phone reception and then a character decides to go down in the basement to find a flashlight, I'm yelling "DON'T GO IN THE BASEMENT!" I felt the same way with the scenes in the book; "DON'T GO IN THE SHED!" "DON'T GO UP THAT DARK HILL!" "STAY WITH YOUR FRIENDS!" "DON'T STAY IN THE SCHOOL ALONE!"
I kept vacillating between two characters who I thought could be the killer; it's Dan (the father) because he resents the fact that the other children are alive and his daughter is dead; no, it's Marian (the mother) because she went over the edge at losing her child (I know I would) and is just putting on a false face pretending to be okay and being strong for Dan. Then I'm back to no it is Dan; then, no it's Marian . . . . . . . . or is it Laura's spirit wanting her friends so she has someone to play with her in the afterlife, and Cliff and Connie because they were her teenage friends who babysat her??? In the end, like one reviewer said, Joanne pulls an Alfred Hitchcock ending on us and we are left guessing.
Unlike many of the reviews, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. For me it was a page turner and I didn't want to put it down. The book starts out with a snowmobile accident where Laura, the 9 year old daughter of Dan and Marian Larsen is killed and Dan is left paralyzed. When the "accidents"/murders began happening I was glad I was reading a book and not watching it as a movie; I don't like blood and gore. My reaction to the "scenes" leading up to the "accidents" was much like my reaction to horror flicks taking place on a stormy night, when the lights go out and all the phones go dead and there is no cell phone reception and then a character decides to go down in the basement to find a flashlight, I'm yelling "DON'T GO IN THE BASEMENT!" I felt the same way with the scenes in the book; "DON'T GO IN THE SHED!" "DON'T GO UP THAT DARK HILL!" "STAY WITH YOUR FRIENDS!" "DON'T STAY IN THE SCHOOL ALONE!"
I kept vacillating between two characters who I thought could be the killer; it's Dan (the father) because he resents the fact that the other children are alive and his daughter is dead; no, it's Marian (the mother) because she went over the edge at losing her child (I know I would) and is just putting on a false face pretending to be okay and being strong for Dan. Then I'm back to no it is Dan; then, no it's Marian . . . . . . . . or is it Laura's spirit wanting her friends so she has someone to play with her in the afterlife, and Cliff and Connie because they were her teenage friends who babysat her??? In the end, like one reviewer said, Joanne pulls an Alfred Hitchcock ending on us and we are left guessing.
January 12, 2022
This book started off incredibly slow after the initial shock of the accident “wore off.” However, I feel as if this was incredibly crucial in helping the reader really understand the main characters, Dan and Marian, as well as all of the other side characters that were involved. One thing for sure is I never want to live in Minnesota. You never really seem to know the true motive behind all of these accidents happening around town or if they’re even accidents after all.
I must say I was a bit disappointed at first with the ending. There’s not really a final conclusion but after thinking about the ending for awhile, this just seemed to fit the book the best. It’s a guessing game that ended in a perfect tragedy. There’s a “plot twist” towards the end which frustrated me and will continue to bother me for some time. It was certainly a sad surprise. I understand from the prospective of the other people involved why it was done but it still enrages me! You never really know who caused these horrible events or if someone was even behind this at all. There’s so many clues that point to both of the main characters but my money is on Dan. How on earth are his legs in such great shape? And these reoccurring dreams don’t seem to be dreams at all, especially because of how he feels as a result of them.
I must say I was a bit disappointed at first with the ending. There’s not really a final conclusion but after thinking about the ending for awhile, this just seemed to fit the book the best. It’s a guessing game that ended in a perfect tragedy. There’s a “plot twist” towards the end which frustrated me and will continue to bother me for some time. It was certainly a sad surprise. I understand from the prospective of the other people involved why it was done but it still enrages me! You never really know who caused these horrible events or if someone was even behind this at all. There’s so many clues that point to both of the main characters but my money is on Dan. How on earth are his legs in such great shape? And these reoccurring dreams don’t seem to be dreams at all, especially because of how he feels as a result of them.
June 30, 2021
Ok, my bad 2 books with the super natural and yet I try another one thinking that there won't be any in this story - WRONG.
A mother loses her daughter in a horrific snowmobile accident that also paralyzes her husband from the waist down. And nothing is every said about how he takes care of his physical needs which is huge at the start of being paralyzed, he's just always in bed and then he's up in a wheelchair ready to leave the house. ???????
And then in comes the super natural. The wife Marian is totally distraught over her daughter's death and then she finds a note that she thinks Laurie her daughter has written and then the story makes a left turn in craziness that is too gruesome to even contemplate!
So sorry I read this and trust me it will be the last of Joanne Fluke's stand alone books I will ever read, I've had my overfill of the supernatural and it's ugliness to last a lifetime.
A mother loses her daughter in a horrific snowmobile accident that also paralyzes her husband from the waist down. And nothing is every said about how he takes care of his physical needs which is huge at the start of being paralyzed, he's just always in bed and then he's up in a wheelchair ready to leave the house. ???????
And then in comes the super natural. The wife Marian is totally distraught over her daughter's death and then she finds a note that she thinks Laurie her daughter has written and then the story makes a left turn in craziness that is too gruesome to even contemplate!
So sorry I read this and trust me it will be the last of Joanne Fluke's stand alone books I will ever read, I've had my overfill of the supernatural and it's ugliness to last a lifetime.
December 12, 2022
This was my first Joann Fluke book. I'm giving 3 stars because I liked the first half of the book a lot, but would have only given the second half of the book 1 or 2 stars.
*******SPOILERS*******
The first half of the book I enjoyed. The speed did pick up in the second half, as others have noted, but there is a lack of resolution. Like others, I was drawn to this book because of its promise as a murder mystery. The description literally says, "And as winter deepens, the search for answers will reveal a killer whose blood runs colder than the blinding snow. . ." The ending was disappointing. There was no killer "revealed". We are left to wonder if it was Dan, or Marian, or both of them. There were too many loose ends not tied up. Also, I was disturbed that the story spend little time dealing with any Dan may have had as a result of his daughter dying in the same snowmobile accident that injured him, in which he was the driver.
*******SPOILERS*******
The first half of the book I enjoyed. The speed did pick up in the second half, as others have noted, but there is a lack of resolution. Like others, I was drawn to this book because of its promise as a murder mystery. The description literally says, "And as winter deepens, the search for answers will reveal a killer whose blood runs colder than the blinding snow. . ." The ending was disappointing. There was no killer "revealed". We are left to wonder if it was Dan, or Marian, or both of them. There were too many loose ends not tied up. Also, I was disturbed that the story spend little time dealing with any Dan may have had as a result of his daughter dying in the same snowmobile accident that injured him, in which he was the driver.
December 28, 2022
This was a slow read but it intensified as it went.
Following Dan and Marian after a fatal accident that kills their daughter and leaving Dan without the use of his legs. Dan tries to keep his wife's spirits up by leaving her notes "from" their daughter which doesn't quite work the way he expects.
Marian keeps finding notes from their daughter, right before and after a death of someone she knows. Not thinking much about who was killing these, just knowing she was going to get a note from her daughter.
Dan concerned and putting two and two together but doesn't have evidence, believes Marian is the killer but he himself has been having some interesting dreams that could make him the killer.
Following Dan and Marian after a fatal accident that kills their daughter and leaving Dan without the use of his legs. Dan tries to keep his wife's spirits up by leaving her notes "from" their daughter which doesn't quite work the way he expects.
Marian keeps finding notes from their daughter, right before and after a death of someone she knows. Not thinking much about who was killing these, just knowing she was going to get a note from her daughter.
Dan concerned and putting two and two together but doesn't have evidence, believes Marian is the killer but he himself has been having some interesting dreams that could make him the killer.
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